Improvement in railroad danger-signals



S. C. HENDRICKSON.

improvement in Railroad Danger Signals.

No. 115,610. Patented lune 6,1871.

srnrnnn c. nnnniarcirson, or BROOKLYN, n. 1)., nnw ronrr.

IMPROVEMENT IN RAlLRQAD DANGER-SIGNALS.

Bpecification forming part of Letters Patent No. 115,610, dated June 6, 1871.

I, STEPHEN O. HENDRICKSON, of the city of Brooklyn, E. 1)., county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain Iinprove= ments in Railroad Danger-Signals, of which the following is adescription: Y

My invention consists of a combination of two electro-magnets with armatures and armarotation of the cog-wheels, and may thus cause a fan or signal to turn backward or forward, or to become exposed or hidden, as the armatures are caused to approach or recede from the faces of the magnets.

Referring to the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a side view of the entire appa-, ratus, except the fan or signals, or electrical connections, in which- N represents the base 5 A A, the two electro-magnets; 0 G, the two armatures; D D, the two armature bars; Gr G, the two cogwheels; and K, the screw, with its shaft H. T represents one side of the metal frame, supporting cog-wheels,screw, &c.; B B, the posts in which the armature-bars are hung. It is evident that if the electric circuit be open or broken the springs R will cause the ends of the armature-bars furthest from the magnets to descend simultaneously, and as the pins F F, on the two cog-wheels, project through the slots E E on the armature-bars, the cog-wheels will be caused to rotate and communicate their rotation to the shaft H by means of the screw K. L is a bar of metal, through which the shaft H passes, being firmly fastened thereto. On this the signal or fan may be placed, being fastened thereto as shown in Fig. 2, and made fast by means of the screw Q. lhis figure requires no further explanation. O, in Figs. 1 and 3, represents a post of metal projecting from one of the frames T in such'manner that, when the bar L stands in the position represented in Fig. 1, it rests upon the top of said post 0, and is prevented thereby from moving any further toward the right; but when the shaft turns toward the left until the bar L is in the position shown in Fig. 3, its other end,'2, strikes upon the end of the screw 1?, which passes through post 0, being insulated therefrom, however, by a bushing of hard rubber or some other insulating substance. Thus the motion of the bar L, and, consequently, the shaft, is restricted tonne-quarter of a circle; but the screw P has another office to perform. Being insulated, it forms one end of an electric circuit, the other end of which terminates in the bar L. Therefore, when the bar L is in the position represented in Fig. 3-that is, when the fan or signal is exposedthis circuit is closed; but when the bar L is in the position represented in Fig. l, or in any other position than with one end firmly pressed against the end of the insulated screw P, the circuit will be open. Hence, if a small bell or other signal be placed in this latter circuit, near the switch or other apparatus, the movement of which is intended to affect the above-described fan or signal, the operator of the switch or other apparatus will be informed, by the ringing of said bell, if said fan has made the movement required. It is, therefore, 'evident that if the above described apparatus be connected by the usual telegraphic wires with batteries to railroad switches, draw-bridges, gates, steering apparatus of vessels, or other moving apparatus, in connection with appropriate circuit-breakers and closers, (all of which, being of common application, are not here further described,) that any movement of said switch or other apparatus may be indicated by signal at a distant point, and that the operator of said moving apparatus may be informed by another signal, near his own location, of the proper operation of the dis tant signal. 7

I do not claim the application of an electro-magnet with its appurtenances to railroad or other signals; nor do I claim the method of causing a shaft to revolve by -n1eans of the movement of a cog-wheel in a with one or more eIeotro-magnets a'rmatures, screw formed upon said shaft both being in and armature-bars, substantially as and for common use. the purpose specified.

0mm STEPHEN G. HENDRIOKSON.

f Witnesses: The combination of an endless screw or STEPHEN CHESTER, worm operated by a toothed Wheel or wheels, VAN ZANDT DAWES. 

